Advice on creating a PDF or other files useful for researchers and archivists

Give as many search options as possible. This is an example from a job I did for Stanford University. The "SEARCH" bookmark opens the advanced search dialog box. The other bookmarks can be expanded to show a list of student names, a list of organization involved, and so forth. That gives users of the pdf many different ways to search. There should also be an table of contents page with links, and the table of contents should have it's own bookmark. Set up the PDF so that when it opens it defaults to opening with the bookmarks showing (File > Properties > Initial View).

Here's my observation: researchers already know how to work with PDFs and how to find what they are looking for. Unlike the general population who just thinks they know how to use Acrobat/Reader, professional researchers truly do. But if you are concerned, you might ask them what you can do to make their jobs easier.

~Barb

Asking them is a great idea -- and so intuitive. That is exactly how I came up with the bookmarks for the project in my example -- by asking the client.

It might be worth also posting this question in one of the Acrobat Forums: Acrobat

This conversation may be useful: https://macademic.org/2015/06/08/2693/

You should probably deliver PDF/A. This is designed to have higher standards of usability. Other PDF files can have this but PDF/A mandates them. Use the versions which require tagging and pay close attention to accurate tagging.

I agree with Test Screen Name

It has to be PDF/A (Archival). You can't do this directly from InDesign, but you can convert it within Acrobat as long as it meets the requirements. There are several flavors of PDF/A, varying from very strict to less strict.

For more info,

Look at the website for Acrobat Standards

PDF Association – The ISO Standard for Documents

There is a PDF Day in DC on Jan 29, 2018

PDF Day | Washington DC – PDF Association

There is an Adobe Forum for Standards (and Accessibility)

Standards & Accessibility (tagged PDF)

When exporting to PDF, it will probably help that you have “Create Tagged PDF” and include “Bookmarks” checked (if in use).

http://indesignsecrets.com/reasons-create-tagged-pdf.php